Ever since the trailers were out, I had been keenly awaiting the release of 'Madaari'. They had raised a lot of expectations and the movie certainly didn't disappoint. In fact, it has gone way above and beyond those expectations. It's a heart-hitting story of a common man who seeks justice and redress for his dead son caused due to misdeeds of the government and corrupt officials.
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Madaari |
Apparently based on the backdrop of a real-life mishap (the collapse of an under-construction overhead Metro bridge on the Andheri-Kurla Road in suburban Marol - which happened in 2012), 'Madaari' shines an unsparing light on the deep rooted corruption that has eaten into the vitals of our system and society and at the same time, conveys a strong message to the political class and their cohorts that the common man cannot be taken for granted, that an underdog can strike back too!
The movie starts with Irrfan's voiceover mouthing the following lines -
Baaz chuza pe jhapta, utha legaya... kahani sachi lagti hai par achi nahin lagti,
Baaz pe palat war hua... kahani sachi nahin lagti lekin bahut achi lagti hai.
A hawk comes swooping down, pounces on a hatchling and carries her off, seizing her in his claws. The story sounds believable but doesn't feel good. But what if there is a counter strike against the hawk? What if the hatchling retaliates? The story might not sound believable but does make one feel good. These lines very aptly depict the essence of the movie. The first story typifies the exploitation of the powerless by the powerful - the hawk symbolizing the predator class, the powerful wrongdoers (read the unscrupulous and corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and business elites) who prey on the common man (symbolized by the hatchling) who is often powerless to save himself from the clutches of the powerful wicked.
But if it is about a hawk and a hatchling, why is then the movie named 'Madaari', one might wonder. A 'Madaari' is a juggler or a street performer who makes a 'Jamooraa' dance to his tunes while the latter (Jamooraa) is supposed to act in compliance with his master's wishes and commands. Thus the word 'Madaari' can have a connotative meaning - that of a power weilder.
The common man has been reduced to becoming a 'Jamooraa' at the hands of the power weilders. The corrupt political masters and their cohorts take him for granted, exploiting him for their narrow personal gains. As a voter, he hands over his fate to the politicians for the next five years, only to live through meek reality every time. He has been subjected to countless forms of corruption and injustice. He is made to run from pillar to post for getting justice but his pleas often get ignored. Thus he can only helplessly look on while the wicked forces continue playing havoc. The powerful and the corrupt expect him to conform to their tyranny, they expect him to ultimately succumb and resign himself to his fate, accepting it as a part of his life.
But what if there is a role reversal? What if the afflicted common man retaliates against the wrongdoers and their injustices? What if he becomes the 'Madaari'?
There is a limit to one's toleration. When you push people to the brink and beyond the limit of their tolerance, you risk antagonizing them.
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Madaari |
Irrfan plays the character of Nirmal Kumar, the typical average citizen trapped in the daily grind of life, whose world is limited to work and family. His entire world revolves around his son whom he was raising as a single parent. However his life gets abruptly shattered when his son meets a tragic death, getting crushed under concrete slabs and heavy metal pieces when an under-construction Metro bridge collapses. The father is crestfallen and at one point he even contemplates suicide. But ending his life wouldn't bring justice to his dead son, he realises. The bridge collapse was a result of shoddy workmanship, lax regulations and blatant violations of safety norms, thus reflecting corruption. How the devastated father strikes back at the rapacious and corrupt political class, forms the nub of the plot.
He kidnaps the son of the Union Home Minister (played by Tushar Dalvi) to exact revenge for his son's wrongful death. What follows is an intense cat-and-mouse game between the aggrieved father Nirmal and the CBI officer Nachiket (played by Jimmy Shergill) who is entrusted with the task of finding out the kidnapper and bringing back the minister's son.
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Madaari |
Although I have never been supportive of vigilante methods and do not advocate taking the Law into one's own hands but there are times when political corruption and systemic apathy evokes a sense of frustration and helplessness, so much that one can get driven to despair. What else can a common man do when the administration doesn't own up to its misdeeds? What else can a common man do when the state machinery turns a blind eye to his plight and lets him suffer endlessly, oblivious to his pleas?
This is an Irrfan Khan movie, through and through. Yet again he delivers a flawless performance and keeps you glued to your seat. And he has once again demonstrated that when it comes to playing the role of a common man, there is hardly any one better than him in contemporary cinema.
With another rivetting performance, Irrfan has once again proved why he is rated so highly. He was one of the biggest reasons why I was eagerly waiting for Madaari's release. I have been a huge fan of Irrfan since I first saw his movie 'Haasil' way back in the early 2000s. Time and again, he has proved his acting prowess, wowing audiences and critics alike in a wide range of roles. With each performance, he has been steadily setting new benchmarks for acting in Indian Cinema. It takes immense acting talent to pull off the varied roles that he has enacted in his career with such unwavering perfection and regularity. Not many actors would be able to do that. With 'Madaari', Irrfan has further widened the gulf between him and his contemporaries. While most of his contemporaries continue to play to the gallery taking up roles of larger-than-life protagonist, Irrfan chooses to take up meatier roles, that are more believable and relatable. He would rather chase challenging roles that would allow him to explore as an actor than doing a repetitive one.
One could rhapsodize at length about how he lends his being to the role he plays. He pours such true emotions into his characters that they tug at your heartstrings. The hospital scene where he gives vent to his despair while holding his dead son's last remains is such an emotionally-charged moment, his anguish is so palpable. It requires the consummate skills of a seasoned craftsman to bring forth the agony and despair so beautifully and Irrfan does it with aplomb. There are also a few scenes in the movie where Irrfan conveys solely through laconica, like in the last scene where he finally lets go of his son's belongings in the sea. I bet not many actors in the contemporary cinema would be able to carry off that scene as effortlessly as Irrfan did.
Madaari may or may not set the box office on fire but his role as Nirmal Kumar will surely be remembered as one of his best performances. His nuanced performance is one of the strongest reasons to watch the movie.
Coming to its music, the song "Masoom Sa.." has stayed with me, Sukhwinder Singh has given a soulful rendition. If you’re looking for something to hit you right in the feels, this is it. It is such a hauntingly beautiful track that one gets hooked from the word go. The more you listen to it, the more you love it.
Overall, the movie has hit the right chords and surely makes an impact. Not only does it serve as a wake-up call for the gullible voters who fall for every promise that the politicians make but it should also shake up the political class out of its complacency. What I liked most about 'Madaari' is the searing honesty with which it is told. Irrfan's superlative performance, commendable act by the child artist Vishesh Bansal, Nishikant Kamat's astute direction, and the strong message that the movie imparts makes 'Madaari' a compelling watch.